Rise Against are maybe the most important punk band on the planet. They’re certainly one of the best. Since 1999 the Chicago band have taken their sharp, severe left, politically astute punk rock around and around and around the globe, connecting with an audience that, like the band, have had enough of this shit. And, with last year’s excellent ‘Wolves’, their eighth studio album, more people are now listening to Rise Against’s message than ever before.

They’ve just released ‘Ghost Note Symphonies Vol 1’. a collection of their best or most interesting songs, reworked and reimagined. What better time, then, to catch-up with singer and rhythm guitarist Tim McIlrath. Hello Tim. Where’s your head at right now? “The thing that depresses me most about the state of world, is that it […]

The unbearable August heat, blockbuster markdowns on summer dresses, and store displays full of pencils and fake apples can only mean one thing: Back to school season is officially upon us.

Whether you’re about to head off for your first year of college, embarking on the final year of a PhD program, or simply gearing up for stressful pre-holiday season at work, it’s time to reevaluate the device that powers you through late-night emails and supports your downtime streaming. The battery on your existing laptop doesn’t need to be struggling for you to consider an upgrade: With plenty of affordable, but high-performing options, it’s easy to find a model that will work for you.

Ahead, the best laptops to consider for every budget.

Your Price Range: $1,000-plus

Our Pick: Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch)

While Apple’s latest MacBooks tout an upgraded version of the Touch Bar, they run upwards of $1,699. Instead, opt for the slightly less expensive, though still high performing, 13-inch MacBook Pro without the Touch Bar. You’ll still get a gorgeous retina display and 8 GB of memory, as well as up to 10 hours of battery life to power you through classes and library time.

Microsoft’s Surface Book 2 is slightly more expensive than the MacBook Pro, but it’s also more versatile: You can detach the screen to use it as a standalone tablet, reattach it for “Studio Mode” streaming, or simply use the device as a regular touchscreen laptop. Our testing showed impressive battery life and speedy charging (an 18% boost in just 20 minutes), though the 13-inch model is a bit heavier at 3.38 pounds (compared to the MacBook Pro’s 3.02 pounds).

Google’s 11.4-by-8.7-inch Pixelbook is unbelievably light (2.4 pounds) and has the Google Assistant built in. This is especially useful for those times when you need a quick answer on the go or just don’t want to open an extra tab online to do a search. The responsive touchscreen is helpful when annotating readings and a 25% battery boost from just 15 minutes of charging is a big perk. On a full charge, you can get up to 10 hours of battery life. Plus, right now, students can save an extra 10%, bringing the price down to $900.

Dell’s XPS 13 calls itself the “smallest 13.3-inch [laptop] on the planet.” That’s because it has an infinity display that stretches from edge-to-edge and is almost bezel-free. It also weighs in at just 2.7 pounds — a difference you’ll notice when you have to lug your computer with you from one end of campus to the other, and promises up to 13 hours of battery life when streaming and browsing online.

Lenovo’s 14-inch Flex laptop will weigh you down a bit more (3.68 pounds), but is multi-purpose thanks to a 360-degree hinge that lets you rotate the screen. Use a stylus to mark up papers on screen, and, if you find yourself running low on power between classes, plug in for just 15 minutes to get up to two hours more battery life.

Asus’s Chromebook is smaller than other options: It has a 12.5-inch HD touchscreen and weighs just 2.65 pounds, making it incredibly portable. You can download Android apps from Google Play to use and get up to 10 hours of battery life.

Ever since Google first announced its Smart Display platform back at CES in January, I’ve been more than eager to get my hands on one to experience the future of living with the Google Assistant in my home. I use my Google Home and Home Mini every day for a variety of things, and as much as I love them, the idea of essentially having one with a screen slapped on top sounds like a dream come true.

There are a few Smart Displays that have been announced, but so far, the one that’s peeked my interest the most is Lenovo’s.

The Lenovo Smart Display is the very first one to hit the market, and even though it’s a bit more expensive and has a few kinks to work out compared to the tried and true Google Home, there are a few reasons why I’d like to have it over Google’s iconic speaker.

Video support

The screen on the Lenovo Smart Display is obviously the biggest draw to it over the Google Home, and one of the reasons I’m most excited for this new addition is that it means I’ll have a new screen for watching videos on.

Like most people, I spend a lot of my time in the kitchen. Whether I’m cooking dinner, unloading the dishwasher, or scrubbing down the counters, there’s a lot of time spent in that room of my apartment. I typically play a YouTube video on my phone for some background noise while going about these tasks, and while that’s fine, it means having to move my phone around the kitchen with me so I can hear it and glance at what’s on its screen.

With the Lenovo Smart Display, I’ll be able to just ask the Google Assistant to play a YouTube video and have it showcased on a large 10.1-inch display with speakers that are far better than what’s on my OnePlus 6.

I don’t think I’ll be sitting down around a Smart Display anytime soon to watch full-length movies, but for those times when I want something to glance at every now and then while doing chores or preparing dinner for the night, I’m ecstatic to have something that’s been designed with that sort of use in mind.

Deeper control of apps/services

Video support is one feature the Lenovo Smart Displays offer that’s completely nonexistent on the Google Home, but along with charting unexplored frontiers, the use of a screen on Lenovo’s machine also allows for richer experiences that are already available with audio-only Assistant speakers.

For example, I can talk to my Google Home and ask it to dim my Hue Lights or change the temperature with a Nest thermostat all day long. The same exact thing can be done with the Lenovo Smart Display, but after that first command is given, you’ve got access to on-screen controls to fine-tune your lights or AC even more.

The Lenovo Smart Display is taking existing Google Home features and making them ten-times better.

Another way this can come in handy is with music. With the Lenovo Smart Display, you can actually browse through various playlists and decide which one you’d like without having to pick something specifically with just your voice. Once a song is playing, you can quickly glance at the screen to see what it’s called, fast forward, or see how much time is left with that particular track.

The Google Home can read aloud recipes, but with the Lenovo Smart Display, you get visual step-by-step directions and pictures of the dish you’re making to make the experience even more helpful. You can set timers on Google Home without any trouble, but on the Lenovo Smart Display, watch the seconds tick by without having to constantly ask “Hey, Google, how much time if left on my timer.”

You get my point.

A lot of what the Lenovo Smart Display does you can already do on Google Home, but because of the screen, the way you interact with these commands/questions is much more useful and seamless compared to an audio-only experience.

It’s a digital photo frame for the modern era

Along with all of the smart home control, powerful speakers, and everything else the Lenovo Smart Display has to offer, it’s also the best digital picture frame you can buy in 2018.

Digital picture frames have been around for years, but whether it was due to low-resolution screens, huge bezels, wonky controls, etc., the execution of them has always left something to be desired. The Lenovo Smart Display fixes all of that.

The HD or Full HD panels on the 8-inch and 10.1-inch models, respectively, look great, the bezels aren’t overly large, and best of all, your pictures are seamlessly added through your Google Photos account.

In addition to being able to pull up specific photos with just your voice, you can also set certain albums/pictures to regularly cycle through to ensure you’ve always got a memory to look at when walking by your Smart Display. And, since these are all pulled in from the cloud, you don’t have to mess with loading photos on an SD card.

The price is right

Last but certainly not least, the Lenovo Smart Display absolutely kills it when it comes to price.

For the 8-inch model, you’ll need to hand over just $199. On its own, that’s already a good price. When you compare it to the Google Home and realize it’s just $50 more than Google’s screenless-speaker and $30 less than the Echo Show, it becomes an even better deal.

The 10.1-inch screen is certainly nice to have, but for most people, the $199 model offers the same experience in a more compact form factor. And, for technically less than $200, I can see a lot of folks picking this up as a Christmas present come the holiday season this year.

Why do you want the Lenovo Smart Display?

Those are the reasons why I think the Lenovo Smart Display is a better purchase over the Google Home, but what about you? Are you excited for the Smart Display future or are you perfectly happy not having a screen for the Google Assistant? Let me know in the comments below!

While we sit around dreaming of what we’ll see with the Pixelbook 2, Acer’s got a few new Chromebooks for us to check out in the form of the Chromebook 15, Chromebook Spin 15, Chromebook 13, and Chromebook Spin 13.

The 13-series Chromebooks are actually the more powerful of the bunch, so let’s start there. Both come with 13.5-inch 2256 x 1504 IPS displays with a 3:2 aspect ratio, but the Chromebook Spin 13 comes with a 2-in-1 design that allows you to flip the keyboard back and use it like a tablet. There’s also Wacom stylus support if you’re into that sort of thing.

Powering the Chromebook 13/Spin 13 is your choice between 8th-generation Intel Core i3 or i5 processors (non-North American markets also have Pentium and Celeron configs for the 13). The 13 comes with 8GB RAM and 32GB of eMMC storage while the Spin 13 offers 8GB/16GB RAM and 64GB/128GB of eMMC storage.

As for ports, you’ll find two USB 3.1 Type-C ones, a full-sized USB 3.0 Type-A, and a microSD card slot.

Moving over to the Chromebook 15 and Spin 15, these actually have less impressive specs than the two 13-inch models. Go figure.

The screen for both models measures in at 15.6-inches with a 1920 x 1080 IPS panel. The processor selection includes two Intel Celeron options and one Pentium chip, you can get up to 8GB RAM, and you’ve got a choice between 32GB and 64GB of eMMC storage. The port selection is the same as the 13 series.

As for pricing and availability, Acer has confirmed that the Chromebook 13 will start at $649.99 while the Chromebook Spin 13 will be $749.99. Sales for both machines will begin in the U.S. starting in September.

Back at CES 2018, we got our very first look at Google’s alternative to the Amazon Echo Show — Smart Displays. There are a number of these coming out from LG, JBL, and Sony, but the first to go on sale is from Lenovo and is launching in stores tomorrow, July 27.

There are two Lenovo Smart Displays to choose from, including an 8-inch and 10.1-inch model. Aside from the difference in screen size, however, these are essentially the same products.

The best way to think about Smart Displays are like Google Homes with screens. You can talk to the Google Assistant and ask it whatever you’d like, but since there’s a screen along with the speaker, you can get visual elements to go along with your questions/commands, too.

Out of the box, you’ll be able to use the Lenovo Smart Display to watch YouTube, listen to Spotify, tune into podcasts via Google Podcasts, follow step-by-step recipes with Food Network, catch up with your favorite HBO Now shows, and much more.

The Lenovo Smart Displays go on sale tomorrow, July 27 at Amazon, Costco, Walmart, Best Buy, and Lenovo’s own website.

Pricing is $199.99 for the 8-inch model and $249.99 for the 10.1-inch variant.

Smart Displays are Google Assistant-powered speakers that also feature screens, and while we likely won’t see a Google Home-branded one until later in the fall, there are already four companies that have announced Smart Displays of their own. Let’s take a look at what we know so far.

The first of these gadgets announced was the Lenovo Smart Display. You’ll be able to get Lenovo’s Smart Display with either an 8-inch or 10-inch display, and while the 8-inch model opts for a traditional plastic back, the 10-inch unit has a gorgeous bamboo one.

Both models have an odd wedge on the back, and this allows you to position the Lenovo Smart Display either vertically or horizontally. There are buttons for adjusting speaker volume, and there’s even a switch that places a physical lens cover over the front-facing camera that’s used for video calls.

Lenovo will sell the 8-inch Smart Display for $199, and upgrading to the larger 10-inch one will cost you $249. It’s on sale starting July 27.

JBL’s Smart Display goes by the name of the Link View, and while it serves the same general purpose as the Lenovo Smart Display, its design is quite a bit different. JBL has only announced one version of the Link View so far, and it comes with an 8-inch screen. There’s a 5MP camera above it and a JBL logo at the bottom and both the left and right side are flanked by two 10W stereo speakers that are paired with a passive radiator on the back to enable “rich, deep bass.”

The body as a whole favors an oval shape versus the rectangular nature of the Lenovo Smart Display, and while you won’t find any bamboo back here, it’s arguably the sleeker of the two thanks to the all-black paint job. Along with this, there’s also support for Bluetooth, Google Cast, and IPX4 splash resistance.

Pricing details have yet to be announced, but JBL says the Link View will be available at some point this summer.

LG ThingQ View WK9

LG’s first foray into the world of Smart Displays comes in the form of the LG ThinQ View WK9, and while we’ll have to get hands-on time with the device before we can make any final judgments, it currently looks like the most underwhelming of the Smart Displays we’ve seen so far.

The large, boxy design looks boring and not all that aesthetically pleasing, and while the 8-inch touchscreen display itself should be fine, the fact that there’s no tilt to it like there is on Lenovo and JBL’s options could make for some difficult viewing angles.

Speaker tuning from Meridian Audio still has us interested, however, and this paired with the two front-facing stereo speakers will likely create a solid audio experience. Similar to the other Smart Displays on this list, you’ll also find Chromecast support.

LG simply says that the WK9 is “coming soon” with a hefty price of $299.99.

Sony’s yet-to-be-announced Smart Display

Google confirmed that Sony will be releasing a Smart Display, but a month on from CES and we still know literally nothing about it. Neither specs or renders for the speaker have been released, and as such, there’s not a whole lot we can say about it right now.

As soon as details are released, we’ll be sure to share them with you!

Apple today updated the MacBook Pro with faster performance and new pro features, making it the most advanced Mac notebook ever.The new MacBook Pro models feature 8th-generation Intel Core processors, with 6-core on the 15-inch model for up to 70 percent faster performance and quad-core on the 13-inch model for up to two times faster performance. Additional updates include support for up to 32GB of memory, a True Tone display and an improved third-generation keyboard for quieter typing.

For years, Apple’s MacBook Pros have been the best designed laptops you can buy.

But Apple’s superiority in the space has been increasingly challenged in recent years, as more and more Windows 10 laptops have been embracing a similarly premium, sleek aesthetic.

One of the best Windows 10 laptops you can buy right now is Huawei’s $1,200 – $1,500 Matebook Pro X, which sports a design you’d be proud to show off to your MacBook Pro-wielding friends. Its screen will probably be a source of envy, too. It also happens to have great specs, and an even better price tag.

The display is the most luxurious we’ve seen on any laptop, even MacBook Pros.Antonio Villas-Boas/Business Insider

Apart from the Matebook X Pro’s design, its display is a major source of those premium vibes.

It has the thinnest bezels I’ve seen on any laptop, and the effect is the same as it is with smartphones. It looks sleeker and more advanced than displays with thicker bezels, including the MacBook Pro, and it’s more impressive as a result. It’s similar to the bezel difference between the iPhone 8 and iPhone X.

And if we’re comparing the Matebook X Pro to the 13-inch MacBook Pro, it has a larger 14-inch display. Technically, it’s only 0.6-inches larger, but bigger is bigger. It sits between the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pros.

The Matebook X Pro’s display is also a touchscreen, which can be handy at times. You won’t find a touchscreen on MacBook Pros.

The bezels can be so thin because the front-facing camera isn’t on the screen.

The front camera hides under a dedicated button in the keyboard, and it pops out when you need it. I rarely use the front camera on a laptop, so I can easily justify hiding it away on the keyboard and the odd video angle that faces upwards in exchange for gorgeous ultra-thin bezels. Below is a shot taken with the front camera, and I’m looking directly at the screen.

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you’ll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

Update 7/16/18 3:46 p.m. ET: We’re noticing some glitches on Amazon.com at the moment, so a few of these deals may not be showing up yet. We think things will sort themselves out soon — but in the meantime, happy shopping!

Update 7/16/18 9:35 p.m. ET: Most of the Amazon site appears to be working as normal.

This year, the sales event is live for a full 36 hours and is promising more than one million deals worldwide.

Now through July 17, you can shop an unprecedented number of deals, but you probably can’t dedicate your entire day to looking through pages and pages of deals. That’s why we’re doing it for you and handpicking the best ones that you should focus on today to save you both money and time.

Below you’ll find a master list of the very best Prime Day 2018 deals across all categories, including tech, home and kitchen, travel, and back-to-school products. There are so many deals to look through, so we took the time to find only the best ones. We’ll be updating this page throughout the day, so check back here frequently for the best and most up-to-date flash deals.

Just remember that you have to be a Prime member to take advantage of the deals, so don’t forget to sign up for a free 30-day trial membership here if you haven’t already. There are more perks if you want to stay a Prime member after your trial.

This is our cheat sheet to the 24 best Prime Day deals of 2018. You can keep scrolling to check out our full list:

To get things started, and since this is Amazon Prime Day, here are the best Amazon devices and Prime services on sale. At $69.99, the Amazon Echo is available for its lowest price ever. At $79.99, the Kindle Paperwhite is also at its lowest price to date.